Tarnished

Scripture for Today: II Corinthians 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates our body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

I am thrilled and proud of my latest thrift store find! It is a silver-plated candy dish, much smaller than the tray pictured. It did not look like much as it was so tarnished and dark. But it was heavy and I loved its design so out came the polish. It took time to rub. It not only needed lots of product but lots of elbow grease as well. Little by little the dish began to shine. Working on it outside, I had to at one point look away as it caught and reflected the dazzling sun! The end result was worth all the effort and it now sits proudly on my buffet.

That dull gray or black film coating is a product of a chemical reaction between a metal and a non metal compound. In our verse for today Paul is teaching that we need purifying. In the world we are contaminated, slowly becoming tarnished and losing our shine. As believers, we are to be separate from the world. In keeping ourselves untarnished from sin we are promised a close fellowship with God as a Father.

Those who belong to the Lord have a new nature. We are no longer made of the same material. We are metal, and we need to avoid that “chemical reaction” with non metal. Thankfully, God has made provision for those times when we sin and compromise. His cleansing is available when we confess, and He is faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).